We watch the dawn service on television and we wake up at 1 Am to have a family feast at a little cafe owned by my Auntie. We also attend the Port Power game.
Who of your relatives were involved, where and when?
My great grandpa was involved in WW2 and put into a concentration camp. where he escaped 5 times each time making it a little further until he finally made it away.
My brother was part put through the training to go to Afghanistan.
my uncle Eric, Uncle Edwin, uncle Ben and auntie Sandra were in the Korean war.
Why is it important to you and your family?
This is an important time for my family as we don't necessarily celebrate the war but the unity of our family and that we are still here.
John Adam Gray
John Adam Gray was my great uncle. John was born in Numarakah, Victoria on the 4th of October 1917. John died in Thailand on the 9th of January 1944 at the age of 27. John died of malaria which is a disease carried by mosquitos. He was enlisted in Royal Park, Victoria. He fought in World War II which started in 1939 and ended in 1945. John was a Gunner in the 4th Anti-Tank-Regiment. World war II was in Europe and was between Germany, Italy and Japan against the allies which were Britain, France, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, the Soviet Union, China and the United States of America. The Battle ground was in Europe. Thailand had a neutral stand in the war until they were taken over by Japan in December 1941. This allowed Japan to have an easier path to invade Britain they also had prison of war camps located in Thailand as well as Japan. John was in a Thai prison of war camp when he was diagnosed with Malaria and died.
Chalker lloyd
Chalker Lloyd was a mate and fellow 4th Anti-Tank-Regiment to my great uncle. Lloyd was born on the 21st of March 1919 in Shepparton, Victoria. He then enlisted in Royal Park, Victoria. He was in WWII. He then died on the 13th of June 1945 in Japan from an unknown illness. Lloyd was a Gunner in the 4th Anti-Tank-Regiment. Lloyd was a prisoner of war in Japan for three years until he died about four months before the war ended. He managed to escape the prison camp three times unsuccessfully and the fourth and final time was on the day that he died where he passed out as he reached the barrier after he had an indestructible plan to get our for good. Another prisoner wrote the information about him escaping in a diary. Gunner Arthur John Mumford had a secret diary hidden in the camp which he shared stories of other soldiers as well as his own.
The photo above is of Lloyd Chalker (on the right), John Adam Grey and Arthur John Mumford (on the left). This photo was taken a couple of days before all three men were captured and sent to two different camps (one in Japan and the other in Thailand). This photo was taken in island beach in Malaysia.
ANZAC reflection.
By being involved in this task I have learnt a lot more about the ANZACS then I knew before. I also gained a strong understanding about what these people went through by reading the classes stories about relatives or others. I learnt a lot about ANZAC day and what it means to most of our community. I never understood what the soldiers went through I only knew it was bad. By being involved in the Planting poppies I understood what the community does to commemorate not just the ones who fell but also the ones who were a part of it. While we were planting the poppies it was interesting to see how many people came to help, as well as the look on the faces of the two men who taught us Morse code. I learnt how much ANZAC day means to all of the people who we met that day. Now with my deeper understanding of ANZAC day and looking at all of the celebrations that occur and how people have turned a commemoration of the people who died into a celebration. People see Anzac day as just another public holiday. I now feel stronger and more passionate towards ANZAC day.
My ANZAC Story - Alanna Hewlett
- What do you do to commemorate ANZAC day?
- We watch the dawn service on television and we wake up at 1 Am to have a family feast at a little cafe owned by my Auntie. We also attend the Port Power game.
- Who of your relatives were involved, where and when?
- My great grandpa was involved in WW2 and put into a concentration camp. where he escaped 5 times each time making it a little further until he finally made it away.
- My brother was part put through the training to go to Afghanistan.
- my uncle Eric, Uncle Edwin, uncle Ben and auntie Sandra were in the Korean war.
- Why is it important to you and your family?
This is an important time for my family as we don't necessarily celebrate the war but the unity of our family and that we are still here.John Adam Gray
John Adam Gray was my great uncle. John was born in Numarakah, Victoria on the 4th of October 1917. John died in Thailand on the 9th of January 1944 at the age of 27. John died of malaria which is a disease carried by mosquitos. He was enlisted in Royal Park, Victoria. He fought in World War II which started in 1939 and ended in 1945. John was a Gunner in the 4th Anti-Tank-Regiment. World war II was in Europe and was between Germany, Italy and Japan against the allies which were Britain, France, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, the Soviet Union, China and the United States of America. The Battle ground was in Europe. Thailand had a neutral stand in the war until they were taken over by Japan in December 1941. This allowed Japan to have an easier path to invade Britain they also had prison of war camps located in Thailand as well as Japan. John was in a Thai prison of war camp when he was diagnosed with Malaria and died.
Chalker lloyd
Chalker Lloyd was a mate and fellow 4th Anti-Tank-Regiment to my great uncle. Lloyd was born on the 21st of March 1919 in Shepparton, Victoria. He then enlisted in Royal Park, Victoria. He was in WWII. He then died on the 13th of June 1945 in Japan from an unknown illness. Lloyd was a Gunner in the 4th Anti-Tank-Regiment. Lloyd was a prisoner of war in Japan for three years until he died about four months before the war ended. He managed to escape the prison camp three times unsuccessfully and the fourth and final time was on the day that he died where he passed out as he reached the barrier after he had an indestructible plan to get our for good. Another prisoner wrote the information about him escaping in a diary. Gunner Arthur John Mumford had a secret diary hidden in the camp which he shared stories of other soldiers as well as his own.The photo above is of Lloyd Chalker (on the right), John Adam Grey and Arthur John Mumford (on the left). This photo was taken a couple of days before all three men were captured and sent to two different camps (one in Japan and the other in Thailand). This photo was taken in island beach in Malaysia.
ANZAC reflection.
By being involved in this task I have learnt a lot more about the ANZACS then I knew before. I also gained a strong understanding about what these people went through by reading the classes stories about relatives or others. I learnt a lot about ANZAC day and what it means to most of our community. I never understood what the soldiers went through I only knew it was bad. By being involved in the Planting poppies I understood what the community does to commemorate not just the ones who fell but also the ones who were a part of it. While we were planting the poppies it was interesting to see how many people came to help, as well as the look on the faces of the two men who taught us Morse code. I learnt how much ANZAC day means to all of the people who we met that day. Now with my deeper understanding of ANZAC day and looking at all of the celebrations that occur and how people have turned a commemoration of the people who died into a celebration. People see Anzac day as just another public holiday. I now feel stronger and more passionate towards ANZAC day.
References
Australian Service records of 4th Anti Tank POW soldiers WWII n.d., The Numurkah mob, accessed 18 May 2015, <http://www.angelfire.com/folk/ww1/srecords.htm>.
CHALKER, Lloyd n.d., RSL, accessed 18 May 2015, <http://www.rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/622906>.
Document of CHALKER Lloyd 1942, Photograph, National Archives of Australia, accessed 18 May 2015, <http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=31830011>.
Informal group portrait 1941, Photograph, Australian War Memorial, accessed 18 May 2015, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P04846.005>.
GRAY, John Adam n.d., RSL, accessed 18 May 2015, <http://www.rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/630101>.
Gunner John Adam Gray n.d., Australian War Memorial, accessed 18 May 2015, <https://www.awm.gov.au/people/P10677147/#Photograph>.
Informal group portrait 1941, Photograph, Australian War Memorial, accessed 18 May 2015, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P04846.005>.